Will they visit?: Hover flies are common in home gardens
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Syrphidae – (CC)Simon Nicholas. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Syrphidae – (CC)Reiner Richter. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Syrphidae – (CC)Reiner Richter. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Syrphidae – (CC)ladyrobyn. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Syrphidae – (CC)Kai Squires. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Syrphidae – (CC)Jean and Fred. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Atop flowers and leaves
Diet: Pollen, nectar, and aphids
Water: Not required
ReWild Benefit: Pollination and pest control
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Hover flies gather in their hundreds around suitable flowering plants. Species including everlastings, strawflowers, cornflowers, and native daises are popular within a garden. They are adaptable to home gardens and lay their eggs on plants infested with aphids colonies to feed their young.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
The larvae (type of maggots) feed on aphid colonies. The adult hover flies feed on the nectar and pollen of native plants.
Avoid commercial non-native seeds advertised for pollinators. These plants have the potential to become serious weeds.
Providing sources of water
Not required.
ReWild Benefits
Hover Flies are pollinators and help to drive a more connected ecosystem across the landscape. Their young provide pest control in the garden. If you see one in your backyard, you can record your sighting on the Atlas of Living Australia and help scientists monitor there population and distribution.
